KEMER, Turkey, 6 June 2005 — Sebastien Loeb won the Rally of Turkey yesterday to clinch his fourth consecutive victory in the World Rally Championship.
Citroen’s current world champion won 10 of the rally’s 17 stages, finishing 59.6 seconds ahead of Subaru’s Petter Solberg.
“I am very, very happy. Every good thing has an end, but I hope this will last,” Loeb said.
Peugeot’s Marcus Gronholm finished the event 15.7 seconds behind Solberg in third place. Loeb won seven of eight stages on the first of three racing days to establish a lead of 1 minute, 9.6 seconds - and effectively make the next two days a battle for the minor places.
Drivers struggled with a mountainous course that alternated between dry sections where rocks punctured tires and muddy spots so thick it was difficult to see and stay on the road.
“I tried to do my best to keep the car on the road,” Gronholm said. Loeb’s Citroen teammate, Carlos Sainz, who came out of retirement for the race, finished in fourth place. Team leader Guy Frequelin said Citroen would decide Monday whether Sainz will compete in the next rally.
Sainz, the all-time leader in rally wins, won the inaugural Rally of Turkey in 2003.
